Too Short for Weight Machines

HorrorChix89

I'm 5'1" but my boyfriend thinks I'm closer to 4'11" (who cares, he's not a human ruler) anyway I tried doing the leg curl thing where you lay on your belly and curl your legs to your butt. Well sadly my legs don't reach like they should and I end up having to flip the thing using my heels.

Is there an alternative to this exercise? When it pops up on my workout list for leg days, I get super embarrassed cause I look like a little girl. I still do it though, not sure I'm doing it right (not sure I'm doing anything right honestly...besides the treadmill), but I still try.

It doesn't adjust right either. I'm still too freaking short

meshashesha2012

deadlifts

BigRich822

Deadlifts are more for your back. I would go with Squats.

HorrorChix89

Squats seems to work a completely different muscle group than the leg curls...or i'm doing it wrong

k8blujay2

Lift up more on your heels to target your hammies and calves when doing a squat... As far as the leg press machine is concerned, I don't remember having a problem with them (I'm 5'1.5"), but I haven't used one that you lay down on in a long time...

wellbert

Squats seems to work a completely different muscle group than the leg curls...or i'm doing it wrong

Blessing in disguise. Ditch the machines.

Leg curls are silly. Squats will hit your whole legs, core, upper body a bit when weighted..

Make sure you push your knees out and you squat below parallel. If you just dip your rear down a little it's not a squat.

HorrorChix89

Lift up more on your heels to target your hammies and calves when doing a squat... As far as the leg press machine is concerned, I don't remember having a problem with them (I'm 5'1.5"), but I haven't used one that you lay down on in a long time...

It's not the leg press, although I have to move the seat all the way up for that machine as well :laugh:

It's this thing

wellbert

That thing ^ is a waste of floor space.

Do your squats.

coquette87

That thing ^ is a waste of floor space.

Do your squats.

This. The only machine I touch is the lat pulldown. Although, as a fellow shorty (5'0") I definitely feel your pain. I had to change the machine over from a V pulldown and put on the wide grip bar. This required me standing on the seat. Ugh, how embarrassing.

amandacochran15

Use free weights!

bciochetti

If you're deadset on doing lying leg curls and have somebody to help you just stick a dumbbell between your feet and curl that.

HorrorChix89

If you're deadset on doing lying leg curls and have somebody to help you just stick a dumbbell between your feet and curl that.

This might work. It'll give me an excuse to talk to the trainer that stalks me everytime I walk into the gym :laugh:

I do squats but I cheat with them. After rep#5 my knees are screaming and so am I.

But thanks for the ideas...squats are out of the question for me so I might just use the dumb bells

mfpcopine

Ankle weights? Just a suggestion. There may be better exercises.

Look at the muscles the machine is supposed to target. Look for counterpart exercises in a directory of free weight exercises.

I'm short, too. I didn't like that machine.

HorrorChix89

Ankle weights? Just a suggestion. There may be better exercises.

Look at the muscles the machine is supposed to target. Look for counterpart exercises in a directory of free weight exercises.

I'm short, too. I didn't like that machine.

Whenever I get the energy to head to the gym I'll look around. I haven't tried ankle weights but I don't think they get heavy enough for me. I set the leg curl machine pretty high.

meshashesha2012

Deadlifts are more for your back. I would go with Squats.

deadlifts are also excellent for your glutes and hamstrings. it's a compound movement that works several muscle groups at once...